Double closure, jointly operated, for flexible articles



Nov. 7, 1939. P. BUFF Er Al. 2,178,885

DOUBLE cLosuRE, JOINTLY OPERATED, FOR FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 8, 1936 Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES DOUBLE cLosURE, JOINTLY OPERATED, FOR FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Peggy Buff, Camden, N. J., and John Edward Thebaud, Philadelphia, Pa.; said Thebaud assignor to said Buff Application December 8, 1936, Serial No. 114,838 2 Claims. (01. 24-205) This invention relates to double closures, jointly operated and adapted to be used with flexible articles, such as shoes, overshoes, pocketbooks, luggage bags, garments, etc. V

Among the objects of our invention is the provision of means for simultaneously operating two spaced slide fastener closures, at the edges of a strip in the wall of some flexible article.

A further object is to provide a jointly operated double closure, of the class described, that will afford, when open, a wider opening than that afforded by opening a single closure, and which can be opened or closed by a single movement of an operating means, and avoid operating the closures individually.

Another object is to provide a shoe, having a closure, including a tongue portion releasably joined to side wall portions, having the tongue portion of elastic material, for yielding purposes.

A further object is to provide a shoe having a closure in the wall thereof, including a tongue portion, releasably joined to two side portions of said wall which are elastic and adapted to be stretched.

Our-invention resides in certain construction, various adaptations of which are illustrated in the drawing and are hereinafter described. The

' operation is described and what we claim is set forth.

In the drawing: Y

Figure 1 is an elevation of a fragment of a double closure in a wall of a flexible article including our means for closing or opening the clo sures simultaneously.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pivoted yoke joining the threading members of two spaced slide fasteners.

40 Figure 4 is a perspective view of an overshoe, showing a rear double closure, including our de vice.

' Figure 5 is a perspective view of another overshoe, showing a front double closure, including 5 our device.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another overshoe, showing both front and rear double closures, each including our device.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a pair of mount- 50 ed spaced slide fasteners with a chain yoke connection.

In the figures, referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, which show one form of yoke means for operating a pair of spaced slide fasteners si- 55 multaneously, the fragments of two flexible side walls l0 and II, are shown to be spaced and joined to a tongue portion l2. At each edge of the portion l2, are interlocking elements 13, of the two lines of zipper fasteners I4 and I5. The threading members 16 and ll, of the respective fasteners l4 and I5, have each a projecting flat lug l8, pivotally joined at rivets I9,'with the ears 20, of the sheet metal yoke 2|. The yoke 2| has a cross bar part 22 and two inclined arm parts 23 and 24, terminating in a ball part 25. The yoke 21 is free to turn up or down through 180, with respect to the threading members [6 and I1.

In-Figure 7 is shown a chain formof yoke means for operating a pair of spaced slide fasteners simultaneously, wherein a loose chain -28, having a central pull 21, connects the flat lugs 18 of the threading members 16 and I1.

Referring to the overshoe 28, shown in Figure 4, the side walls 29 'and 30 terminate horizontally in rear vertical edges 31, adjoining a tongue por tion 32. The strip portions 33, of the side walls 29 and 3B, integral therewith, are each made of suitable elastic material, as is also the tongue portion 32 (similar to, l2 of Figure 1) ,.to afford an elastically yielding portion'to the back of the shoe, when the rear parts are closed, as shown in full lines. For releasably connecting the tongue portion 32, at its two side edges, with the adjoining strip portions 33, are attached the respective slide fasteners 14 and I5, similar to those shown in Figure 1, having threading members It and H, pivotally connected together by the yoke 2|. The broken line position, of the tongue portion 32 (similar to l2, of Figure 1), shown at 32 indicates the open position taken by the tongue portion 32, when the yoke 2| has been moved down to the position 2|.

In Figure 5, the tongue portion 34 is shown in the front of the shoe 35, while in Figure 6, an especially wide opening of the top of the shoe 36 is afforded by opening both front tongue portion 31 and the rear tongue portion 38.

While the form of yoke 2|, shown in Figures 1 and 3, is shown on the shoes 28, 35 and 36, if desired, the chain form of yoke shown in Figure 7, may be used instead. By having the chain 26 loosely connected with the threading members Hi and H, the pull 21, when in use, brings the two parts of the chain 26, on each side, into lines of pulling force, each at a considerable angle to the slide fastener line to which it is connected,

and thus reduces the strain tending to pull the threading members toward one another when moving up or down.

When the two lines of interlocking elements in a single zipper" fastener pass through the threading member their paths are inclined to one another for the purpose of'engaging or disengaging the interlocking elements, so as these lines emerge from the wide end of the threading member, they diverge from one another. However, the fact that each individual interlocking element is fastened to a flexible strip, permits an angular movement of the individual element, so that when free, they soon take their normal positions on the strip to which they'are attached and where we have two parallel lines of "zippers, attached to the parallel edges of a tongue as shown in the figures, the slide fasteners can operate simultaneously without much drag resistance. If, however, we incline the threading members, as I 8 and I1, each with respect to the edge of the tongue it adjoins, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, we can materially reduce the drag resistance.

Referring again to the form of yoke in the double closure, shown in Figures 1 and 3, the fact that the ears 20 are fiat and integral with the sheet metal yoke 2|, and have the fiat lugs l8, closely pivoted thereto, we have thus afforded means for holding the threading members l6 and I1 from turning in the plane, passing through both these members, and they are better guided up or down. The position of the ball 25 beyond the ears 20, asshown, facilitates the simul taneous movement of the slide fasteners lines also. As the ball is held between the thumb and finger it can turn within the friction grip thus afforded as occasion requires, as it-is being-pulled.

While we have described the tongue portions of the shoes as being made elastic, as well as having the adjoining side portions of the shoes elastic, these tongues and side portions may be of any suitable material desired, which is not elastic.

When the double slide fasteners closure, with the two lines of the zippers spaces, as shown, is used on shoes, overshoes, luggage bags, garments, or other flexible articles, a much wider opening is afforded at the zipper lines than that afforded by the usual single line of "zipper.

Operating the two spaced slide fasteners lines, of, a double closure, simultaneously by either of the yoke means shown and described, or any mechanical equivalent thereto, saves time, both in closing and in opening, as well as assures the full closing or full opening of either side of the double closure when the other side is fully opened or fully closed.

Other forms of double closure means spaced in the plane, of the wall, of a fiexible'article and operable simultaneously, may be devised, yet come within the spirit and scope of our invention, we therefore wish to include all such devices which come within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an article'having a flexible wall part divided into two spaced wall portions and a tongue portion adapted by its width to fill in the space between said wall portions, two closures for releasably attaching said tongue portion to the adjoining wall portions, each of said closures connecting said tongue portion to that .wall portion next adjoining, and a yoke extending across the face of said tongue portion, connecting said two closures, each of said closures including a series of pairs of releasable, interlocking elements, one set of said series of elements being fixed to an edge of said tongue portion, and the adjoining set of said series of elements being fixed to the edge of an adjoinin wall portion, a threading member for each of said closures, adapted to releasably join opposing lines of said interlocking elements, a lug projecting integrally from each of said members, an ear adjoining each of said lugs and projecting integrally and transversely from each end of said yoke, pivot-means axially positioned across each pair of adjoining ears and lugs, to connect the same, and adapting said member to turn on said lugs, to adjust itself during the manual operating of said yoke, in either direction, longitudinally of said tongue portion, as said closures are being operated simultaneously to open or close the space between said spaced wall portions. 4

2. In an article with a wall part, wall portions, a tongue portion, and closure means made and operated in accordance with claim 1, said two wall portions being made of elastic material. PEGGY BUF'F.

JOHN EDWARD 'I'HEBAUD. 

